Bird & Nature Blog
A clutch of the latest stories from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
This is the time of the summer when American Goldfinches are making all sorts of noise. Goldfinches are a species that stick around Wisconsin year-round, but summer is when they really shine. Their bright yellow with black accented bodies and their “potato chip” flight calls are just fabulous.
Photo by Jo Zimny Photos FCC
Tree Swallows are a fun, dynamic, and noisy species. As a frequent user of man-made nest boxes, this is a species one is likely to encounter in many types of natural areas, particularly if there is water nearby. Tree Swallows are primarily insectivores, so those watery areas that support lots of flying insects like dragonflies, damselflies, moths, butterflies, etc. are excellent habitat for this bird. This is less likely to be a backyard bird, but one you are likely to encounter on a hike.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
I feel so torn about writing about House Sparrows this week! Although they are an exotic, invasive species that displace and outcompete native birds, they ARE a very commonly heard bird — which is why they are here, in the Who’s That Singing series. For better or worse (and mostly worse), House Sparrows are apart of the soundscape in most urban and farm settings, so here we go!
Photo by Jan Rose FCC
I absolutely love it when a teeny-tiny bird can blast out a song completely out of proportion with their size. The Northern House Wren is the best example of that I can think of. The Northern House Wren is an excited little bird, seemingly constantly on the move and singing frequently their big, cheerful song. They are happy in back yards and will nest readily in nest boxes, so are a common one for backyard birders to hear and see.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
